Bumper pool tables as well as convertible tables which may be used for playing bumper pool, or card games, or provided with a flat top surface for use as dining room table, desk or the like, are known in the art. An example of a typical table of this type is illustrated in Milu U.S. Pat. No. 3,711,099, which illustrates a bumper pool game table which employs a separate reversible top structure which may be disposed and supported by the bumper pool table structure to provide, in one position, a flat surfaced dining room table top or the like, or reversed to provide a card game playing top having recesses for receiving glasses, chips, etc.
The bumper pool game table is provided with a pair of ball receiving apertures in a playing surface thereof whereby a ball entering such aperture may drop through the table top and be received in a ball collection box. As the ball apertures are disposed adjacent the peripheral edges of the table, and the ball boxes disposed directly therebelow, they would if left in such positions interfere with the seating of a person at the table, as such boxes extend down to a point where they would interfere with the normal positioning of a seated person's legs and knees. The patentee solved the problem by making such ball collection boxes detachable whereby they could be completely removed from the table. While this solved the initial problem of providing adequate leg space below the table when the bumper pool game is not in use, it has the disadvantage that the ball collection boxes and balls therein may be disposed at a remote location relative to the table itself, with possible loss, etc.